Gas-meter diaphragm



Patented July 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.ARNO R. 'HUETTIGy OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR TO iAMERICAN METERCOM- PANY, F NEW YORK, Y., A CORPORATION 0F DELAW'ARE.

GAS-METER DIAPHRAGM.

Application led August 6, 1926. Serial No. 127,657.

Gas meters are usually formed with operating diaphragms formed ofleather. Such leather has been almost universally in use as best adaptedfor the purpose. With larger' meters diiculty is experienced inobtaining a sufficiently uniform quality of leather in a single hide toform a diaphragm, the leathers used varying in different portions of thehide. This variation in quality gives to the diaphragm a lack ofuniformity of movement that is not desirable. I have obviated thedifficulty as to lack of equality and made it possible to make thediaphragm of approximately uniform quality throughout by forming it` l5of a plurality of segments. These segments are formed to give thediaphragm itsrinal form. This, however, has heretofore been done with asingle piece for the diaphragm. Features and details of the inventionwill appear from the specification and claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as followsFig. 1 shows an elevation of the diaphragm, .the cover of the-meter casebeing removed to expose the same. v

Fig. l2 a section on the line 2-2 in Fig.1. Fig. 3 an enlarged sectionof a part of the diaphragm on the line 2-2 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 an elevation of a leather segment of the diaphragm. A

Fig. 5 an elevation of a detached diaphragm.

1 marks the meter case, 2 the covers on the case, and 3 a centralpartition in the case dividing the same into chambers 4 and 5.Diaphragme 6 and 6a are arranged in the chambers. The diaphragm 6 Visconnected by a `rock arm 7 with a rock arm 8 and the movement of therock arms is communicated by a link 9 with a crank 10. The crank 10 ismounted on an operating shaft 10Ll and operates the dials 11. A link 12connects the crank with levers 13-13 which are connected to thediaphragm 6, The upper end of one of the links 13 is connected by a link15 with the 45 case at 16 and the lower end of the downwardly extendinglink connected with the case at 17. These parts form no part of theinvention but merely indicate the use, or environment.

The diaphragm has a central plate 18 with a Surrounding flange 19. Thediaphragm leather 2O has an opening through its center with a turnededge 21 and this is secured around the flange 19 by a Wrapping 22, these55 parts being properly treated so as to assure a gas-tight joint. Thediaphragm leather is formed of a plurality of segments 23. In aquadrilaterally shaped diaphragm, such as shown, four are preferablyused and these are o'ined by seams 24 which are arranged to provide agastight joint and these seams are preferably arranged extending to thepoints of greatest radial dimension of the free part 0f the diaphragmleather so that the stiffer '65 part of the diaphragm incident to theseam is given the greatest range for movement. The segn'ients arepreferably fashioned so that when the diaphragm is completed is assumesthe flaring shape with the leather in its natural condition. There thisis done the dia` phragm will tend to retain its shape.

What I claim as new is A gas meter diaphragm comprising a central plate;and a leather member secured to the plate and formed of a plurality ofsegments secured together at their edges, the leather member having someradial dimensions greater than others and the union between the segmentsbeing along the radial lines of said greater dimensions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m hand.

y ARNO R.' HUETTIG.

